Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:00 pm Post subject:
A Saturday MixSubject description: So I could use another ear or two.

I've been busy in the studio trying to get used to some of my newer kit. So I put together another study. I've made three separate mixes, and I'd like some comments, if anybody would be kind enough to comment. I've chosen the last mix I did.

I played the arpeggios, and the drums are sequenced but not programmed either. So there's some imperfection in both. I haven't hunted it all down yet. The Wretch is very cantankerous, and will drift during a mix, so you kind of have to pay attention to it if you are trying to stay melodic. The SE1-X tends to drift a lot, but not like the S-1000.

Anyway, I tried to make it all sound kind of dark, like a rainy saturday.

_________________Garret: It's so retro.
EGM: What does retro mean to you?
Parker: Like, old and outdated.Home,My Studio,and another viewLast edited by EdisonRex on Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:20 pm; edited 1 time in total

_________________Garret: It's so retro.
EGM: What does retro mean to you?
Parker: Like, old and outdated.Home,My Studio,and another viewLast edited by EdisonRex on Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:24 pm; edited 1 time in total

Second one is a bit daytime TV for my liking to be honest. But still way better music than I can write!

Daytime TV?

I don't watch TV. But I think I know what you're getting at. I was more aiming for Lyle Mays than Oprah. Well that gives me something to think about for the next mix! Thanks, truly, for the comment.

Oh and thanks about the first Saturday mix. I didn't actually change the mix since then. I had a lot of positive responses. Just not as responses in this thread _________________Garret: It's so retro.
EGM: What does retro mean to you?
Parker: Like, old and outdated.Home,My Studio,and another view

nice mood but the timing could be tighter (at least for my taste).
I think you also need a bridge to move somewhere else. you can not stay too long on that chord progression (at least for my taste)._________________homepage - blog - forum - youtube

Yes the second one sounds very professional. It could well be the theme for a daytime soap. Good job.

Why, thank you! (why not thank you?)

I forgot to say what I used.

The piano is from, of all things, my P-55 Sound Canvas. With some close echo and reverb to make a room sound I think it sounds just fine. It's some Euro Piano patch. Patch 09 if you're wondering. I think the close room echo is about 50ms or so, and the reverb is "Large Room", but fairly dry in the mix.

Drums are a sampled set from the Akai S-6k. I am finding myself using the Procussion less and less now. I used a jazz set. It is tapped in, each part, for the length of the piece. I tend to do my drums that way, I tap in the parts. There is a set of shakers from the TS-12, I like them for their stereo goodness, for a 90s workstation there are still good sounds from that keyboard. Although it's my master keyboard anyway, these piano velocity recordings are from the keyboard of the TS-12.

The bass is a manual patch on the SE-1X. I really like this instrument, but it is pretty unstable. I think I am going to open it up and figure out why the oscillators can work their way whole semitones apart in the course of a day. It worked out okay on the mix, but I had to readjust it big time about 3 times during the session. We're on 3 oscillators for bass, lots of low saw and triangles doing the 3rd harmonic. Filter was at 24db. Heavily influenced by envelope.

The "ethereal" arpeggio is the Nord in manual mode, played with liberal Effectron, to get me the echo. I played the arpeggio myself thank you. Many times. I do not like cut and paste, I find it tends to homogenate the production.

The pad is the Neuron, one of the weirder patches, which I have modified anyway, its a evolutionary thing (it changes as you play it). I used it sparingly, because you should use all strongly odd patches sparingly. It's one of my rules.

First solo is a manual patch on the Voyager. VCO1 is in the squarer region, the other two are in the more triangular region. Dual Lowpass, chocked down but with envelope goosing it, they are all 4' voices, so we're tuned on some higher harmonics.

Second solo is the Poly Evolver. Mostly triangular and overdriven.

The Moogerfoogers got used for effects, at least the phaser did.

I think that's most of it. No quantizing, very little clam editing right now, and as I said, I need to do some dynamic editing still. Mostly that's the mixing, which I did not automate for this take.

So I had this piano riff going through my head all week at work. I sat down with my M-Audio 24/96 and did a raw capture on Thursday off the piano/Pianobar downstairs to listen to, listened Thursday and Friday, actually laid down tracks on Sunday. So the production was mostly a Sunday. We were all dragged out Sunday in the house, so it was a good time to go for it. We sieze our days.

I don't see a lot of people talking about how they do things. I thought it might be nice to share. If I'm in the wrong place, as I am good at, let me know._________________Garret: It's so retro.
EGM: What does retro mean to you?
Parker: Like, old and outdated.Home,My Studio,and another view

nice mood but the timing could be tighter (at least for my taste).
I think you also need a bridge to move somewhere else. you can not stay too long on that chord progression (at least for my taste).

You missed the "bridge" at the end of the second solo? I should have taken it out of the progression

yeah I am thinking about that. And the timing has a LOT of work to do. It's what you get when you manually play something - as I said, it's a work in progress, no excuses, and you are right. Thanks for listening, actually

This one will get more work. It's hardly done. My saturday one earlier in the thread, I should work on, too, but my head is in this one._________________Garret: It's so retro.
EGM: What does retro mean to you?
Parker: Like, old and outdated.Home,My Studio,and another view

Perhaps an English vs. American thing... definitely not the bearded variety

A "clam" would be a bad note. like when I hit two notes instead of one. I tend to edit those out of a track when I hear them._________________Garret: It's so retro.
EGM: What does retro mean to you?
Parker: Like, old and outdated.Home,My Studio,and another view

Are we not both staunch Englishmen, true to our teacakes and warm beer?

I like teacakes, and warm ale, but not warm lager.

As I said once, in my introduction, I'm an American expat, enjoying paying more taxes and NI, now 9 years here in London. So I usually just say I'm an ethnic American to those who ask. My friends all make fun of my accent. Considering I'm originally from New England, though, my accent was weird to begin with. So I also usually say I am bi-lingual, I speak both English and American. That way nobody can figure out what I'm talking about.

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